Star of "Slumdog Millionaire" home demolished

Mumbai city workers have demolished the home of one of the stars of "Slumdog Millionaire". The city claims Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail's family had their home on the land illegally. Despite being a "red carpet" star, Azaruddin still lives in the slums of Mumbai.

From Contact Music, we read more details on the demolition.

The Mumbai slum was the home of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, who played the youngest Salim in the blockbuster film, appearing on the red carpet in LA in February.

Officials say the boy's family were living on the land illegally, creating a makeshift shelter in a slum near Mumbai. The authorities have said they will provide alternative accommodation for the family, who say they had no warning there home would be demolished.

Slumdog Millionaire has made more than £140 million in box office takings worldwide, yet the two youngest members of the cast are still living in poverty in slums. However, the film's director and producers have said the children's education has been paid for, as well as a trust fund set up that they will receive when they are older.

Speaking to the BBC, Azharuddin's mother, Shamim Ismail said: "Our house has been broken down by officials. We have not been given any alternate accommodation. Earlier the authorities had said they would give us a house. But I don't think that will happen any more."

'Slumdog Millionaire' producers make another donation to Mumbai

'Slumdog Millionaire' director Danny Boyle has announced another donation to benefit Mumbai. 500,000 pounds will go to the charity Plan, to help the children of India's slums.

From the BBC, we find a statement from Boyle as well as more details on the donation.

Child actors Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail, who played young versions of two main characters, were moved to new homes by the Indian authorities.

"Having benefited so much from the hospitality of the people of Mumbai it is only right that some of the success of the movie be ploughed back into the city in areas where it is needed most and where it can make a real difference to some lives," Boyle said of the charitable donation.

"Despite intimidating odds, extraordinary work is going on to help people break the cycle of poverty through education. We're delighted that this initiative will add to that ongoing work," he added.

The cash will fund a five-year project to help poor children in the city, which will be run by the organisation Plan.

It is thought the charity, which works in nearly 50 countries, will train people in good hygiene and set up education schemes.

Plan's Marie Staunton said: "Around one billion of the world's population live in slums and there are 100,000 new slum dwellers every day.

Another view of life in India's slums

Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail took a different view of India's slums this morning. While many other web sites or newspapers are ablaze with the news on 'Slumdog Millionaire' and the movie's Oscar wins.

The Canadian newspaper has a profile of a Canadian charity that is involved in India's slums. YUVA India provides food and employs those who live in the slums to cook the food.

Writer Diana Coulter tells us about the growing problem of India's slums and about YUVA India's work.

A United Nations Development Program report released two weeks ago says India's slums are likely to get even bigger. Currently, 42 million people, a number roughly equal to the population of Spain, are struggling in India's slums. By 2030, the report predicts, almost half the country's population will be living in cities that are already crowded.

Meanwhile, India is grappling with the world's largest number of malnourished children under the age of five – an estimated 57 million.

It's a harsh situation that has been developing for decades. But it seems that the success of Slumdog Millionaire has shone a fresh light on these issues. In particular, the film has prompted more international offers of assistance, including some from Canada.

“I think what is shown in the movie is reality,” says local relief worker Deepashree Medar. “But personally, I don't like the title. It's true this is a slum but these people don't deserve to be called dogs. They struggle too much and must work very hard.”
...

YUVA India gets assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency and its partner Rooftops Canada.

Bharti Bagde is a widow who struggled to support her two children on less than a dollar a day by scavenging for paper to fold and sell as bags before she began cooking for YUVA.

“I haven't seen this Slumdog movie,” Ms. Bagde says. “But this is a good place to live. In the rainy season, the gutters do overflow and that affects our health, but we help each other.”

Here is a link to a story about the celebration Mumbai after 'Slumdog Millionaire' Oscar win.

Where are they now? The children of 'Slumdog Millionare'

An Associated Press story in many papers today catches readers up on what has become of the stars of the movie 'Slumdog Millionare' The producers of the movie have paid the children for their appearances, and have started a fund for them. But the star of the movie still lives in a shed in the Mumbai slum.

Our snippet of the story comes from the Wichita Eagle. It shows what effects the movie's popularity has had on the children Azharuddin Mohammed and Rubina Ali.

As the movie's popularity swelled, the filmmakers' plan began to fray.

Journalists swarmed the school, forcing Rubina and Azhar to stay home. The families started demanding more, asking for cash and new houses, Colson said.

When the city razed Azhar's neighborhood, Colson wired the family money for a new home. He doesn't know what happened to the money, but the family remains camped out in a lean-to.

Most troubling, he said, the parents' commitment to seeing their kids through school has waned.

So the filmmakers have agreed to buy apartments and allow the families to move in. But they won't transfer ownership to the parents until Rubina and Azhar finish school at age 18.

The filmmakers have also faced criticism that they didn't fairly compensate the children, but have declined to reveal how much they paid, again citing fear of exploitation.

"It's becoming a full-time job dealing with the daily hassle," Boyle said. Still, he added, "I'm glad we did it, even with all the headache."

"Slumdog Millionaire" premieres in Mumbai

While the film receives more nominations for awards, "Slumdog Millionaire" recently premiered in the city it was filmed. The film even found it's way into controversy in Mumbai, as people from the slums depicted in the film staged a protest.

In this Associated Press article, writer Erika Kinetz documents the protest. Our snippet comes from the Contra Costa Times.

The joy wasn't felt by some, however, as about two dozen slum residents protested the film outside Kapoor's Mumbai home saying the title of the movie was an insult.

"I am poor, but don't call me slumdog," said Rekha Dhamji, 18. "I don't want to be referred to as a dog."

Other protesters held up banners reading "Poverty For Sale" and "I am not a dog."

Nicholas Almeida, a social activist who organized the protest, said he planned to file a lawsuit Friday to get the film's name changed.

"Slumdog Millionaire" tells the story of Jamal Malik, a poor youth who becomes the champion of India's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" television program as he searches for his lost love.

On Wednesday the cast and director spoke to the media in New Delhi about the film, and the controversy it has sparked.

"The film is going to be a terrific inspiration to kids around India. It's a feel-good film, a film of hope," said Kapoor, who grew up in a Mumbai slum.

He dismissed claims that the word "slumdog" was offensive. "Children from the slums are actually called much worse names."

About the hype surrounding "Slumdog Millionare'

I gotta admit, I've been a fan of Danny Boyle ever since "Trainspotting". So I'm really happy with the critical acclaim his latest movie is receiving. We're even more happy with the subject matter of the film. The movie shows life in an Indian slum, where more than 17 million are homeless.

Now that "Slumdog Millionare" has received a couple of awards we thought it would be time to visit the film and the controversy. Many children will not escape the slums of India as Boyle's children try to do. However, any attempt to shed light upon the terrible conditions of a slum should be applauded. For those realities are unknown to most in the west.

An article from the Post Chronicle from writer Rina Chandran sums up the debate nicely.

"Slumdog Millionaire," which tells the rags-to-riches tale of an orphan from such a slum, won four Golden Globe awards
on Sunday, including one for Indian music composer AR Rahman.

But there is little upbeat or ambitious about Nehru Nagar, and some newspapers have criticized Boyle for romanticizing the slums and peddling such grim realities as the beggar mafia, prostitution and crime as "Indian exotica."

Others have sprung to Boyle's defense.

"If through (the movie) the world gets a peek at an India inhabited by millions of people who continue to live their lives without clean water, sanitation or electricity, what is the problem?" wrote Kalpana Sharma, author of a book on Dharavi, Asia's largest slum, in the Indian Express paper.

India's own film industry, best known for its racy action flicks and lush romances, has delved before into the slums in Mumbai occasionally, and there is growing interest from tourists.

Reality Tours & Travel, which offers guided tours of Dharavi, calls the slum "a place of poverty and hardship but also a place of enterprise and humor," saying the tours are meant to dispel the negative image that many people have about slums in Mumbai.

"People want to understand how the country works, experience a culture that is alien to them and goes beyond the standard tourist spots," said co-founder Chris Way.